


celebrity prince

by brandywine421



Series: Unrelated Fluffy AUs [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Crack, F/M, Family, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 11:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4136664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Instead of Porn without Plot, this is Fluff without Plot.)</p><p> <br/>Natalia can't take her eyes off her brother and his trusting blue eyes peering up from the blanket bundle.</p><p>"He's very lucky.  He's also very allergic to a lot of things.  He needs special milk and medication for any problems due to his reactions."</p><p>"I'll hire an in house physician," Tony said.</p><p>"We're all taking care of him," Natalia said suddenly.  Tony couldn't have lead in everything.</p><p>He glared at her but there was no heat.  "I know you and Barnes have money, but I have triple, quadruple the resources you have. Let me throw my money at something here."</p><p>"You'll let us stay?" Natalia asked.</p><p>"I cleared out an entire floor, most of it's a nursery but there are four attached suites, one for each of us, and a nanny," Tony said.  "My dad fucked up enough kids, he doesn't get to fuck up this one."</p><p>James moved forward and carefully took the baby from the doctor, cradling him to his chest.  "Hi there, baby boy.  I'm your big brother."</p><p>Steve was too little to smile but he gurgled in a small voice and blinked up at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	celebrity prince

**Author's Note:**

> This is like Fluff without Plot but I ♥ it but am really serious about cleaning off my hard drive.
> 
> Here are a bunch of fluffy scenes from a soapy 'verse that has nothing to do with anything Marvel other than some character names.
> 
> Imagine a daytime soap opera with Genevieve (oc) as an Erica Kane/Elizabeth Taylor character and Howard Stark as her True Love Forever guy. This story's not about them, it's about their kids . Below, please see my notes to keep up will all the family ties with a timeline sans time.
> 
> Howard + Maria = Tony (widowed)  
> Howard + Genevieve = tabloids (divorce)  
> Howard + Accidental Intern = James (breakup and paternity suit)  
> Genevieve + Random Russian designer = Natasha (divorce and deportation)  
> Howard + Genevieve = tabloids (divorce)  
> Genevieve + Random tennis player = reality show (annulment)  
> Genevieve + Graham = boredom (divorce)  
> Howard + Genevieve = Steve (car crash = dead x 2)
> 
> (Tony and James share Howard as a father and Natalia is Genevieve's - Steve's the son of Howard and Genevieve)
> 
> Ugh. Info-dump over.

# thicker  
  
Natalia glared at the phone and sighed, careful with her still-drying nails as she clicked the speakerphone.  "What?"  
  
_"Hello, dear, is it a bad time?"_  
  
Ugh.  Genevieve was her mother but there had never been any 'family' involved between them.  She was one of the first true supermodels and had cameo'd in enough movies to have a SAG card.  Those things would always trump having a daughter to Genevieve.  
  
Natalia had nannies she sent mother's day cards to, Genevieve was only her mother on paper, more tabloids than birth certificates.  
  
"It usually is when you call instead of your publicist.  What's on your mind?" she asked.  
  
_"I saw your new Maybelline spread, you're looking healthy."_  
  
She rolled her eyes.  Healthy meant 'fat' to Genevieve.  "Thanks."  
  
_"I just wanted to give you fair warning, Graham and I are getting a divorce.  Howard's - "_  
  
"For fuck's sake, please don't tell me you're going back to Howard.  Graham's, what, your fifth husband?"  
  
_"Two of those were Howard,_ " Genevieve reminded airily.  _"So that means he's really only my fourth.  It's always been Howard for me.  You love Howard."_  
  
Howard Stark had been her stepfather for her early years, her mom's second marriage to him but the family unit was still made up mostly of nannies and housekeepers.  He had two boys of his own, both with their different mothers but around for publicity stunts and rare family meetings to discuss divorce and affairs.  Tony and James despised each other and it was always fun to wind them up.  
  
"Whatever.  You want me to make a statement or something?" she asked.  
  
_"No, not yet.  The lawyers are sending the papers tomorrow but Howard and I are leaving town to have some...private time until it blows over."_  
  
That didn't sound like Genevieve.  "Why are you leaving?  You love shit like this."  
  
_"We're trying something new.  I won't be in touch, but I wanted to tell you I love you and to keep smiling.  Make sure you always show off your neck and don't slouch so much."_  
  
"Wait - when will you be back?" she asked impulsively.  
  
_"Don't know yet, but I'll be back.  Take care, dear._ "  
  
She frowned as the phone's light went off.  
  
Her mother was up to something.  And she'd smeared her nail polish.  Today was going to suck.  
  
  
  
  
# what even  
  
"So did you hear that dear old dad left his girlfriend at the altar?" James asked, clinking his beer bottle with his half brother for the crowd's benefit, definitely not respect or cordiality.  He liked donating to charity but hated making the appearances at the galas.  
  
"Stock went back up, sure, when he dumped that golddigger.  The planner said she didn't get your RSVP so I'm surprised you knew," Tony replied, his lips curled into a smile for the cameras and a sneer for James.  
  
"Someone dropped a question on my press tour for my next movie.  Seemed to think I cared."  
  
Tony shrugged and didn't meet his eyes.  
  
"Seen him lately?"  
  
That got the glare James was going for.  Tony was Howard's firstborn - his favorite.  He'd groomed his first bastard to take over the company that kept all his bastards in designer diapers.  Tony graduated high school way ahead of schedule and made vice president of Stark Industries before James was old enough to vote in a real election.  
  
James had stock in the company but he only held onto it because if he wanted to fuck Tony, or his father, he could partner up and take over the whole thing.  He wanted to have it when Tony made his inevitable coup to take over just so he could sell them to whoever was against him.  
  
He had a good life without a handout from his father.  He'd served in the military, but it was peacetime so the only combat he'd seen was simulated in his movies.  His mother was a talented director and she'd groomed him to work a camera like Howard groomed Tony to work a boardroom.  
  
James was better off.  At least he had a mom to take care of him, Tony just had Howard.  But pity wasn't a thing he was willing to throw a Stark's way - even if he was one.  
  
"He's back with Genevieve," Tony said after a long moment.  "I gave it six months, but its already been eight since he took off with her.  You're a little behind, bro."  He gave him a fake smile for the cameras to match James' own and swaggered back into the crowd of fame hungry celebrities.  
  
Huh.  Eight months was a long time for Howard to be off the radar.  But it had been at least two years since James saw him in person so he figured it was okay.  Howard was Tony's problem.  
  
  
  
# surprise  
  
The doctor smiled kindly at the child, their brother, the new responsibility no one asked for.  
  
"Is he okay?" Tony asked, his eyes clear for one of the first times since she'd known him.  
  
"He's a well-behaved child, and he's in good shape considering the trouble he had at the beginning.  He was born premature but his body's finally caught up.  His asthma - "  
  
"Asthma?  Isn't that bad?  Can you fix it?" Tony demanded.  
  
The doctor hesitated.  "He'll need extra attention, breathing treatments and monitoring but he's tough, hopefully he'll grow out of it…"  
  
"Damn right, we'll get him a specialist," Tony huffed under his breath.  
  
"Tony.  Let the man talk," James said, quietly.  
  
Natalia can't take her eyes off her brother and his trusting blue eyes peering up from the blanket bundle.  
  
"He's very lucky.  He's also very allergic to a lot of things, they're going to run all the allergy tests on him when he's more settled.  He needs special milk and medication for any problems due to his reactions."  
  
"I'll hire an in house physician," Tony said.  
  
"We're all taking care of him," Natalia said suddenly.  Tony couldn't have lead in everything.  
  
He glared at her but there was no heat.  "I know you and Barnes have money, but I have triple, quadruple the resources you have.  I have a fucking tower, you can both have suites - but you can't deny that I'll be the best place for him until he's old enough to breathe on his own.  I already have a medical staff in the tower and I've already reached out to start vetting pediatricians.  Let me throw my money at something here."  
  
"You'll let us stay?" Natalia asked.  
  
"I cleared out an entire floor, most of it is a nursery but there are four attached suites, one for each of us, and a nanny slash doctor," Tony said.  "My dad fucked up enough kids, he doesn't get to fuck up this one."  
  
James moved forward and carefully took the baby from the doctor, cradling him to his chest.  "Hi there, baby boy.  I'm your big brother."  
  
Steve blinked at him.  He was too little to smile but he gurgled in a small voice and blinked at him.  
  
Natalia saw the moment he realized the boy was theirs.  Their responsibility.    
  
"Yeah, Stark, I'll take one of those suites.  We'll talk about the rest.  I want to vet those doctors, too," James said.  
  
  
  
# inhale  
  
"Don't we have people to handle this?" Tony whispered, not wanting to wake the few people managing to sleep in the room.  Steve wasn't having a problem sleeping at the moment, settled in the crook of Tony's elbow.  His arm was mostly numb by now but it was preferable to the baby's panicked cries whenever he wasn't being held.  
  
"You've put it off for three days, Mr. Stark and there are a lot of inquiries about the services for both of them," the lawyer replied, glancing at Natalia drooling across one of the loveseats.  
  
"We'll have a meeting in three hours, 57th floor conference room.  Get James and Natalia's people there, too.  We'll make a plan," Tony said.  
  
The guy's eyes dropped to Steve.  "When are you going public with - "  
  
"Not yet, not any time soon," Tony snapped.  "Go do things away from here."  
  
"Ms. Potts is outside, can I send her in?"  At least the guy was good for something.  
  
"Please," Tony replied.  He had to tell his executive vice president that he was going to miss a few more meetings than a standard funeral leave required.  
  
Plus, he needed to tell the woman he loved that he had a baby to raise.  
  
She stepped in with the same determination and confidence that made him both hire and fall for her.  She opened her mouth but immediately snapped it shut when she saw the bundle in his arms.  "Tony.  I didn't believe the tabloids - is that - "  
  
"Steven Roger Stark," Tony introduced.  
  
She crossed her hands over her chest.  "He's beautiful."  
  
"Yeah.  I, sort of, made arrangements to keep him here.  He's...ours, you know?  Dad - he doesn't get to ruin this one," Tony whispered.  
  
"How can I help?  Personal or professional offers are both applicable here before you piss me off.  Let me take him for you," she said.  
  
He had the urge to clutch Steve tightly and scream 'mine' but he really just needed a nap.  Or a drink.  Nap first.  
  
"Tony."  
  
"I want you to take CEO.  Dad's spot," Tony said, carefully passing the tiny baby to her.  
  
"How will that help when you already did all his work?" Pepper replied, smiling when Steve fidgeted but settled in her hold.  
  
"You'll do it.  You'll be the new face of SI.  I want to get my hands into the workshop, Pep, you know this job drives me bonkers but - "  
  
She hummed and Steve let out a satisfied sigh.  "I know, Tony, but you always said you cared about the business and not about making your dad proud.  So forgive me if it looks like you're ditching SI now that he's not dead to see you succeed."  
  
"I'm not ditching SI," Tony frowned.  Did she really think of him like that?  "I want to work in R & D, not sling bullshit with assholes all day."  
  
"But that's the best part," Pepper smiled.  "It's a mess out there, Tony, when you and the others surface, there's a lot to deal with.  I didn't have custody on the list, but I'm mentally adding bullet points.  This isn't really a good time for a shakeup at SI."  
  
"It's the best time.  I want you to be CEO.  I don't trust anyone else."  He lowered his voice.  "I want to make sure the kid doesn't grow up like I did.  I want to spend time with him.  This isn't about the business, or money or fame - this is about Steve."  
  
Steve heard his name and whined, shifting unhappily.  
  
"Probably hungry.  I'll take him, it's my turn," James said.  Tony cursed under his breath, wondering how long his brother had been listening.  Pepper looked at Tony, surprised.  
  
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I should probably back up my brother here.  Our father never spent more than, maybe, a couple of hours at a time with me because he was so caught up in work or his women," James said, carefully taking the baby.  "If Tony wants to settle into a desk job, even if that desk is in a welding shop - me and Nata will be around to take the kid so he can get your work done."  
  
Tony wondered if this baby was going to soften all of them up.  "We've having a meeting in 3 hours about the services."  
  
Pepper reached for her briefcase.  "I brought some papers, Howard and Guinevere both had last requests, but they're pretty outdated."  She glanced at the baby.  "He isn't in either of the wills."  
  
James' eyes darkened.  "We'll make sure he's set for life by the time he's on solid foods," Tony said decisively.  
  
"Yeah, we should have a meeting about that asap," James said.  Steve let out a small cry and James turned away, cooing and heading into the kitchen.  
  
"That's new," Pepper whispered.  
  
"All of this is new," Tony murmured, accepting her kiss with relief.  "Still want to go out with me?"  
  
"I didn't put up with you this long to give up now."  
  
  
  
 # tend  
  
James frowned as he stepped off the elevator on Stark's penthouse floor.  He had to go out of town for the past couple of weeks and didn't like that his baby brother wasn't safely in his crib on his secure floor.  
  
Stark was busier than James or Natalia combined, but his company was based in a stable location and the guy did have more money than God.  
  
"Morning, Barnes.  Come to take your turn coddling the spawn?" Tony called.  
  
James opened his mouth to scold the man but he glimpsed Steve hanging off his back in a carrier with bright, happy eyes waving at him.  "Why isn't he in the nursery?"  
  
"Kid's got lungs on him.  He screams so loud when I leave him alone that I think he's going to have an asthma attack.  He's fine if someone's in the room with him, but he hates all the nannies.  Even when we put Natalia's perfume on them, he knows better."  Tony hadn't looked at him yet, tapping rapidly on his tabletop console controlling the holograms he was working on.  
  
Steve stretched his arms out toward James with a petulant smile and whine.  James unharnessed him and took the kid into his arms.  "Hi, babycakes.  Miss me?"  
  
Steve blew acknowledging bubbles at him, his tiny hands clasping his clothes.  
  
"Kid's getting heavy, I'm definitely getting a workout hauling him around," Tony said, rolling his shoulders.  
  
"You could let me or Nata take him to our places for a bit if you're not up for it, Old Man," James snickered as he made silly faces at Steve.  
  
Tony glanced at him.  "I'm not trying to steal him from you guys."  
  
"I know.  But I want to be a part of this, too and I feel like you're handling all of it," James admitted.  
  
"He's too small to remember any of this anyway.  When he starts walking and talking and dating, that's when you'll want to be around.  The kid knows who his family is," Tony said with a wink.  Steve was chewing happily on James' dog tags.  "Seriously, he just wails if anyone but us tries to take him."  
  
"I never took you as a proud papa," James said, sitting down to bounce the kid on his knee.  
  
"I got snipped for my 21st birthday, it was never part of the plan for me.  Cleaning up more of my dad's messes wasn't either, but it's not the kid's fault.  I want him to have everything I did but I want him to have everything I didn't have, too.  Like a family.  He might not have parents, but he's got us," Tony replied after a long moment.  
  
"Damned right," James said, making a face at the jubilant baby.  "I'm going to stay in the suite for a few days until my agent gets some shit ironed out.  Can I take over for a bit?"  
  
"Yeah, my assistant's been hassling me to hit some meetings in person so I'm glad you came by.  I'll make sure Jarvis fills you in on the schedule and rules.  The docs come twice a week and yes, I'm overprotective but…he wheezes all the time.  I don't like it when he wheezes," Tony frowned.  
  
"I'm on it.  Can't let you be his favorite brother, that would be tragic all around," James smirked.  
  
  
  
# learn  
  
Natalia watched Steve sit patiently in the middle of the blanket while Tony and James bickered over who got to feed him.  She didn't think Steve minded either way, he'd been settled and chipper since she'd gotten here.  She doubted the 14 fired nannies were Steve's fault.  
  
She read the pediatrician's updates with close attention but she trusted Tony, and even James more when it came to Steve's health and happiness.  She was doing more work in New York but with his allergies and the perfume and makeup flying around at her photo shoots; she didn't spend as much time with him outside of the nursery.  Every time he had to take his breathing treatments with the nebulizer, she had to step out.  He was so small and so happy.  He didn't deserve to be sick.  
  
James had been an unlikely, but welcome, ally and always brought Steve to her shows if she could sneak him past the relentless paparazzi that were paying up to a million dollars for any shots of the son of Howard and Genevieve.  Their 'romance' was Hollywood legend now.    
  
She glanced back at Steve and he was closer to the edge of the blanket, but still fully focused on his toy squirrel, bouncing it cheerily.  
  
He wasn't talking yet but Tony didn't want to send the kid to therapy when he hadn't broken double digits in months or years.  He was smart, she assumed he just didn't have anything to say yet.  
  
James and Tony devolved into rock-paper-scissors and when she turned back to the blanket, Steve was sitting at her feet.    
  
"How did you get over here, Brat?" she cooed, leaning down and tickling him until he giggled.  "Is this your favorite toy?"  
  
Steve shook his head emphatically.  
  
"No?  What's your favorite toy?  Can you show Nata?"  
  
Steve glanced at her with an evaluating look from a 9 month old child.  But he must have seen what he was searching for because he promptly dropped the squirrel and took off in a determined crawl toward the toy-pile.  
  
**_Crawl_**.  He was crawling.  James dropped the bottle and Tony audibly squealed.  
  
Steve ignored them and flung toys from the box until he found a frayed velveteen rabbit.  He held it up, victorious, before crawling back to her and holding up the bunny.  
  
"Oh, Stevie, that's awesome.  Does it have a name?"  
  
"Pop-pop!" Steve announced with a bright giggle.  
  
"Fuck me," James whispered.  Tony had his phone in one hand and a camera in the other.  She knew the security system would have everything on video anyway.  
  
"You're a sneaky little brat," Natalia said, sliding down to the floor and taking the bunny from him and bouncing it on her knee.  Steve giggled but didn't deny it.  
  
  
  
# adore  
  
"Are you sure you want him here?" His PA eyed Steve doubtfully where he was doing his best impression of a cherubic toddler.  
  
"I'm not leaving him with you again, you got fingerpaint all over my tux last time," James told Darcy.  
  
She rolled her eyes.  "Whatever, he was happy."  
  
"He's always happy, aren't you, Punk?" James said, earning a decisive nod and giggle from the demon child.  
  
Steve had been a good baby, but he was a very bad toddler.  As soon as he learned to walk, he got into everything.  _Everything_.  Tony found him chewing on houseplants, Natalia had to deadbolt her makeup bags and James was considering removing all the drawer handles and shelves from his house because the kid could *climb* like a monkey.  
  
He was a happy kid and James wouldn't trade him for anything but he hoped at some point he'd learn how to behave.  The sippy cup that suddenly bounced off of Darcy's chest from Steve's impressive throw reminded him that it wouldn't be today.  
  
"You're lucky he's adorable," Darcy snorted, collecting the cup, wiping it down and returning it to Steve with a fond pat on the head.  "I'll bring in the first one, name's Joan and she's doing a quick Q  & A for a magazine, twenty minutes max and then we'll break."  
  
"I'm ready," he said, adjusting his belt and tugging Steve to the couch and placing him decisively on the cushion beside him.  
  
Steve chewed his lip curiously as Bucky opened the bag of supplies.  "Crayon.  Pop-Pop.  Juice," he said after a moment with an assured nod.  
  
"Punk," he snorted, earning a bright smile as he held out the frayed bunny, coloring book and jumbo crayons.  
  
Steve seemed reasonably settled when Darcy walked the lady into the suite.  The woman smiled like she'd hit the jackpot when she spotted the kid.  
  
"Mr. Barnes, thanks for meeting me, I'm Joan Harris.  And hello, Mr. Stark," she said, offering her hand to Steve after him.  
  
Steve made a tiny fist and bumped her knuckles.  "Hi.  No comment," he said brightly.  
  
Joan laughed and James ruffled Steve's hair approvingly.  "He's a quick study."  
  
  
  
 # steal  
  
"Not Tony.  Not Bucky.  Not Nata.  **Wrong** ," Steve wailed, pounding his tiny fists against the stranger's chest.  
  
_"Shh, we're going to take such good care of you, Steven, those miscreants - "_  
  
He sucked in a breath and screamed as loud as he could.  
  
Tony had taught him to scream, taught him that strangers were bad if Tony, Buck or Nata didn't introduce them first, and everything about this lady was bad.  
  
_"Hush, child - shh…"_  
  
"You are not my family - let me **go**!" he said, feeling the familiar tightness in his chest as he struggled in her arms.  She stumbled and he kicked as hard as he could until her arms loosened enough for him to wriggle free and drop to the ground.  
  
He ran - not toward the street but toward the cluster of people waiting for the elevator in the parking deck.  He jumped to reach the emergency button on the signpost and caught the attention of the people in line.  
  
The lady chased after him but he may not be able to breathe, but he could run - he was supposed to run - and he skidded into the stairwell and took the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him even with the crazy lady's calls echoing through the halls.  
  
When he finally reached the street, he recognized the familiar cluster of photographers that Natalia hated, Bucky loved and Tony tolerated.  Weirdly, he'd seen them as long as he could remember and knew most of them by name.  He didn't know how they got here before his brothers and sister did but he didn't care.  
  
He tumbled into the cluster of paps and fell down, breathless.  
  
"Fuck, Stevie?  Hey, are you okay?  Where did you come from?" Danny, he remembered, crouched down to his level and helped him up.  
  
He couldn't catch his breath but he motioned to the lady that appeared at the exit of the parking deck.  
  
"It's okay, kiddo, we'll get her, we'll make sure you get back to your folks as soon as possible, just relax," Danny said kindly as the group of cameramen closed ranks around him so he couldn't see anything through their clustered knees.  
  
Stevie wished he could breathe but the lady had taken the bag Tony made him keep with him at all times.  
  
The next thing he processed was Nata pushing his inhaler between his lips and scooping him into her arms.  He took as deep of a breath as he could manage and clung to her.  "Thank fuck," he wheezed.  
  
She smiled, surprised and he turned his face into her shoulder.  He heard her speaking to the photographers that had rescued him but when he blinked the spots out of his eyes, he was in the limo, still tightly wrapped in her arms.  
  
"I didn't go with her, I didn't, she took me - "  
  
"Shh, I know, we all know.  There were security cameras, baby, she knocked out your nanny.  What the hell were you doing in Central Park anyway?  You'll catch a chill and - "  
  
"Is Janice all right?  I like her, she lets me watch the puppies play.  Since I'm allergic, I can't get close but she lets me watch," Steve said.  He hoped she didn't get in trouble.  
  
"We're going to give you a breathing treatment as soon as you get back.  Janice is going to be fine, but you'll have to take a bodyguard with you if she takes you to the park again.  Did she…hurt you?"  
  
Nata held the inhaler to his lips again and he took another puff and shook his head.  "I just didn't want to go with her.  You and Tony and Bucky are my family, not her, nobody else."  
  
"Oh, buddy…we'll never let anyone take you from us, okay?  Never ever," Nata said.  She was crying and he'd never seen her cry.  
  
"Don't cry, Nata, I'm sorry..."  
  
"Just breathe, baby, and don't let go."  
  
He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, Tony was holding them both and Steve knew he was safe.  
  
  
  
# custody  
  
"God, he's such a little spaz," James chuckled when Steve finally collapsed in bed.  It had been a few months since the terrifying kidnapping attempt but the kid had bounced back better than the rest of them.  
  
Tony offered him a Red Bull and he took it gratefully.  Natalia was sipping expensive wine on the opposite couch with Pepper.  James liked Pepper.  Hell, James wasn't even ashamed to call Tony a brother after the past few years and he never thought that would happen.  
  
"Okay, so, I want to bring up some things while we're all here," Tony said, lacking his normal levity.  "Steve needs to go to school."  
  
"I thought he was doing well with the tutors," Natalia frowned.  
  
"He needs friends his own age," Tony said.  "We can't lock him in a tower until he hates us for it."  
  
James could see that, but someone had tried to take him from them already.  It wasn't safe.  "What are you thinking?"  
  
Tony didn't meet his eyes.  "I want to take primary custody of him - on paper."  
  
He sucked in a breath.  Steve wasn't Tony's kid, he was their brother, all of them.  James couldn't lose him.  
  
"He's not taking him from you, nothing's going to change," Pepper said quickly.  
  
"I want him on my insurance, I want him down as my full heir, I want him to have a stable, single address to put down on his paperwork," Tony said.  "I'm not raising him on my own, you guys have both done just as much, but I'm the oldest and the one less likely to be in another country if something happens."  He leaned forward, looking at James and Natalia in turn.  "Please.  You'll both still have full access and I'll always clear all decisions about him with you.  Steve doesn't have parents, he has us."  
  
"But you want to be the one he calls 'dad'," James stated.  
  
"No," Tony sighed, deflating.  "You've both let me have point this long and if it's time for him to go to school; I don't want to lose him.  I want a longer turn.  You both stay here when you're in town and nothing has to change between us, but...I want to be home base.  I want him here."  
  
James sighed and Natalia met his eyes with a solemn nod.  "Fuck, Tony, this is home to him.  I'm not going to take that away.  You've done right by him, I've done two movies and three pilots and Natalia's gone through four Revlon campaigns and you've been stuck with him this whole time.  You've given up - "  
  
"I haven't given up anything," Tony interrupted.  "That's the thing.  I'm doing the same thing I was doing before I brought him home.  I signed over CEO to Pepper at the beginning and I already work from home.  Maybe I haven't been to California as often, but my life's only gotten better since he came."  
  
Pepper avoided Tony's eyes.  Huh.  "He hasn't had a drink since he brought Steve home."  
  
James hadn't done any drugs, other than gratuitous amounts of pot, since the kid was in his life either.  "I'm okay with it as long as I still have rights in his life."  
  
"What do you mean by making him your heir?" Natalia asked.  
  
Good question.  
  
Tony waved his hand toward James.  "You sold off the stocks Dad gave you to start the trust for him so Pepper bought them and put them in Steve's name.  So he's already a millionaire.  Heir means he'll get my assets, full beneficiary."  
  
Natalia gave Pepper a curious look.  
  
She smirked.  "Don't worry, Natalia, I won't need his money when that happens."  
  
James leaned forward.  "Tony.  You've done a good job this far.  If putting you down as primary guardian on paper will help Steve, then I'm okay with it."  
  
"Me, too.  I'm still staying with him whenever I'm not working," Natalia said.  
  
"And I still need you both to do that," Tony sighed, visibly relieved.  "Steve would flip if anything changed.  He's moody for a 4 year old."  
  
"Back to the most important part of this meeting - school.  After the kidnapping, where the hell do you want to send him?" Natalia asked.  
  
"I want to keep him in the city, there are a lot of private schools with high profile kids and great security.  And I possibly have a security detail on him at all times," Tony admitted.  "He doesn't see them, but they're always there."  
  
  
# parental  
  
"Should we rock-paper-scissors for PTA duty?  Because I want to tag out on this one," James whispered in Natalia's ear.  
  
She smiled.  Even Tony had noticed the predatory mothers trying to devour James with their eyes.  
  
"That's what you get for that sexy vampire movie you did last year.  You know how much housewives like sexy vampires," Natalia replied.  
  
"I got paid so much for that," James replied absently.  
  
They were early to the school's open house but it had become a rule between them that they would always be early, never late.  They didn't want Steve growing up thinking he was second to anything in their life.  
  
Steve appeared with Tony lagging behind him talking to the dean.  She shared an amused glance with James but neither of them could be mad he got there first considering he'd brought Steve.  
  
"Bucky, Nata, hey - you're early!"  Steve hugged her knees before giving James equal attention.  They were all praying for a growth spurt.  
  
Dean Harmon greeted them with a flicker of surprise.  "Ms. Romanova, Mr. Barnes, it's so nice of you to stop by."  
  
"We were supposed to invite our parents and they're my parents, too," Steve said, squaring his shoulders defiantly.  "I don't need a Mom or Dad when I get to have three parents."  
  
"Oh, I didn't mean it that way, Steve, I'm sorry," she apologized smoothly, ruffling his hair and winking at Natalia.  
  
Steve immediately began rearranging his hair when the dean raised her hand.  "You can't mess with my hair in front of Nata."  
  
"Go ahead and get a head start, save the art room for last, you'll be in there a while," Dean Harmon smiled.  
  
"She's no fun," Steve mumbled, crossing his arms when she walked away.  "I want to show you my paintings."  
  
"We'll get there, Brat, but first - math," Tony said.  
  
"He's no fun either," Steve pouted.  
  
  
# away  
  
"You sure you're going to be okay here?"  She's not sure how they got to the point that Steve was going to boarding school.  She thought they were trying to avoid it, but the kid's grades were so fucking good that he'd gotten a scholarship without any input from them.  Steve wanted to be with his friends and his friends were going here.    
  
Steve blinked at her with his bright blue doll eyes.  "You're the ones that said I had to go here.  I wanted a puppy but you all said I had to go to school first."  
  
"Natalia, you are not undoing all of this work because you're getting clingy again," James murmured behind her, nudging her.  "You're going to be fine, Punk.  And you'll see us every weekend, at least one of us, yeah?"  
  
Steve dropped the angelic act and rolled his eyes.  "Maybe for a month before you forget about me.  I'm so unloved," he said dramatically.  
  
"You definitely know better than that, kid," Tony said, crouching down and yanking him into a tight hug.  "You keep your phone on at all times, and you text me every morning when you get up and every night before you go to bed."  
  
Steve hugged him back and Natalia finally let out the breath she'd been holding.  "I always do, Tony, even though I live with you.  I know the rules.  I promise I'll be fine.  I'll be good."  
  
"You're always good, Stevie, so good.  We're just not always good when you're not around," she whispered, ruffling his hair.  
  
"You have stuff to do, Nat.  I want to go to school with my friends and you guys should go do your jobs and stuff until it's summer and you can spoil me again.  This is okay.  We'll be okay," Steve said, pulling away from Tony and giving her a hug with his tiny arms.  
  
"My turn," James said, swooping him up into a crushing hug.  "Inhaler and epi-pen?"  
  
"In my pocket and I have my alert bracelet on at all times," Steve said.  "Can you put me down?  I want to be excited now if you guys are done being mushy."  
  
  
  
# emergency  
  
Tony didn't bother being polite, he had PA's to deal with that; his brother came first.  It had taken him almost an hour to get here - he needed to be here so much sooner.  
  
He pushed into the medical office and spotted his brother immediately on the end of a cot through a half-pulled curtain.  "Steve."  
  
Steve accepted his admittedly desperate hug before he reached to pull off the oxygen mask.  Tony covered his hand with his own and stopped him.  "No, keep it on.  Somebody better tell me what happened.  Now."  
  
"It's my fault," Steve said, his voice strained with a thick wheeze.  
  
"Hush, just breathe, Stevie," Tony said, pushing his hand into his hair to quiet him.  
  
A lady in a stern suit stood up that he recognized from Steve's enrollment.  "Mr. Stark.  Your brother was involved in an altercation this afternoon."  
  
"He was assaulted?" Tony interrupted.  He was mentally shopping for lawyers and bodyguards.  
  
"Hans was beating up Barry.  Barry's smaller than I am.  So I kicked him in the balls and spit in his eye like Bucky always..."  
  
Tony cupped Steve's cheek.  "Seriously, hush.  You're totally in trouble if you say another word before you can take a full breath."  He was going to kill James.  
  
Dean Lawson cleared her throat.  "Steve intervened when another student was being bullied.  He called for an adult but in the interim, there was a wrestling match and an asthma attack.  His inhaler wasn't effective."  
  
"Not effective?"  
  
"It was out of puffs," Steve mumbled.  "Phys Ed is hard."  
  
"We're going to talk about that later, oh my God.  You scared the hell out of me.  What are you doing to the Hans kid?  I don't want him near Stevie again," Tony said  
  
"He was crying.  Me and Barry didn't cry," Steve smirked, squaring his shoulders.  "I'm not scared of him."  
  
Dean Lawson raised an eyebrow.  "Mr. Stark, I'd like to speak to you outside.  The nurses need to check his stats again."  
  
Tony kissed Steve on the forehead and hesitated long enough to feel him inhale and exhale twice before following the woman into the hall.  
  
"We have a very strict anti-bullying policy, and the student will be reprimanded accordingly.  But we do not condone physical violence and Steve doesn't get off the hook no matter his intentions.  It wasn't self-defense considering Steve had a running start to tackle the kid."  She smiled absently.  "He's scrappy."  
  
"If he was protecting his friend, doesn't that count?  He was defending his buddy," Tony replied.  
  
"Maybe that would've worked if he hadn't spit in his face when the boy was down."  She met his eyes.  "This is a school, he's not getting sent to juvie.  But he'll have mandatory anger management classes, possible detention and cleanup tasks."  
  
That sounded like a sentence to him.  
  
"You won't find a teacher around here that could say a bad thing about Steve, so don't worry too much," she added.  "But violence is a no-go."  
  
"Is he suspended so I can take him home?" Tony asked with a quick nod.  He knew the school rules were there for a reason but he would never apologize for being biased towards his brother.  
  
"He's not suspended, but you can take him home to recover from his asthma attack if you'd like to have him checked out by your own doctors.  Ms. Romanov has already called to make the request," Dean Lawson said.  
  
"He hasn't had an asthma attack in a while," Tony replied, focusing on the most important part of this situation.  They could put the kid in a better school, get him a full time bodyguard; but they couldn't buy him new lungs.  "We're going to take him to so many doctors."  


  
# like-like  
  
"Hi, Stevie, it's been a couple of days since you checked in.  Do you want your lecture now?" Natalia asked, waving off the over-eager makeup girl so she could focus on her brother.  
  
_"I texted you!  And they may have taken my phone in civics because I was playing Candy Mountain Jamboree.  But civics is so boring, you can't blame me."_  
  
Natalia rarely blamed Stevie for anything.  "Fine, you get one free pass for Candy Mountain Jamboree."  
  
_"Nata, I wanted to talk to you about something.  Do you have time?"_  
  
"I always have time for you," she said honestly.  
  
_"There's this girl I like.  And I think she might like me back?  So I want to ask her to the movies - "_  
  
He was fourteen.  Was that old enough to date for normal well-adjusted kids?  "They let you go off campus for movies?"  
  
Steve huffed.  _"No, it's in the auditorium."_  
  
"Do you want me to run a full background check?"  
  
He sighed.  " _No, please don't.  I just wanted to ask your advice before I went to Tony or Bucky.  They're awful with women."_  
  
She preened.  "True.  Tell me about her."  
  
_"She's really pretty.  Gorgeous, way too good for me even if I am taller now.  She's funny and nice and she always tells me when my shoes don't match before I get to breakfast so the other kids don't make fun of me.  I wish I could grow out of being colorblind like I'm growing out of my asthma."_  
  
"You're still carrying your inhaler, right?"  
  
_"Don't lose the plot, Nata, I know the rules."_  
  
"Good.  She sounds nice.  Why are you worried about asking her out?"  
  
" _She's really pretty,"_ Steve whispered.  
  
Natalia smiled.  "You're a good-looking kid, Steve, don't ever let anyone tell you different.  Pretty girls like confidence."  
  
_"Confidence.  Shit."_  
  
She laughed.  "You've got confidence, you just need to use it in ways that don't get you sent to detention."  
  
  
  
# christmas spirit  
  
"What do you mean you don't want to come home for Christmas?" Tony asked.  "Are you mad?  Did we do something - "  
  
_"It's not - shit.  Sif invited me skiing with her family.  I knew you guys would get weird about it, but…she says I have to meet her family before she can call me her boyfriend,"_ Steve said.  
  
"You're not even sixteen yet, do you really think we'll let you go to Europe unattended?"  
  
_"I've had my passport since I was four, Tony, come on.  Please?"_  
  
He sighed.  "Why are you just telling us now?"  
  
_"I'm telling you now because…you know why.  Nata would flip out and Bucky would glare at me but you're the one that I'm spending the holidays with and you're the one that understands.  And…you and Pepper will come and she can have the white Christmas you never let her have in Cali."_  
  
Tony narrowed his eyes.  "Stevie.  Are you conspiring with my girlfriend?"  
  
_"She would really like it.  And Sif's parents are important, I think.  Royalty important.  Aunt Pepper always makes us look better in front of important people,"_ Steve said.  " _Will you just think about it?"_  
  
He hesitated.  "So you don't want to go by yourself?"  
  
_"What, and break my ass skiing and have to call you crying from Switzerland?  No, you and Pepper should come.  You can buy me a fancy watch and maybe give Pepper that ring you've been hiding in your desk for the past two years.  Come on, it would make us both look good to our girlfriends."_  
  
"You already have a fancy watch."  
  
_"You are making me want to pout.  Do you want me to pout?"_  
  
He sighed.  "You really want to go?  You like her that much?"  
  
_Steve dropped his voice.  "Yeah.  I think so.  And I thought it might be fun.  We'd still spend Christmas together, and Bucky and Nata could fly in since they're both filming in Europe.  Maybe if you propose they'll stop pretending like they're not banging."_  
  
Tony snorted.  "You're not supposed to know that, kid."  
  
_"I'm not blind, or deaf,_ " Steve said and Tony could hear his smile.  " _Come on, Tony, help me get my girl."_  
  
"I'll discuss it with Pepper and you'll get me Sif's parents' information so I can make sure it's legit.  I'm not saying yes, but I'll think about it."  
  
_"Thank you!  You won't regret it.  I'll be on my best behavior!"_  
  
Tony rolled his eyes.  "Kid, I was on my sixth arrest by your age, I don't know if you have bad behavior."  
  
_"I'm a quick learner.  Call me when you talk to Pepper, I emailed you Sif's parents' details."_  
  
"Love you, kid," Tony said.  
  
_"Love you, too."_  
  
"Was that Stevie?" Pepper called, walking into the room.  
  
Tony nodded and gave her a bright grin.  "How do you feel about Switzerland for Christmas?"  
  
Her eyes flickered with fond memories of the Alps before frowning at him.  "Why does Steve want to go to Switzerland?"  
  
"How do you know it wasn't my idea?" Tony protested.  
  
She rolled her eyes at him.  God, she was beautiful.  "Tony."  
  
"His girl invited him skiing.  You like skiing," Tony said.  "What do you think?"  
  
"I think your baby brother has good ideas," Pepper said.  
  
Tony had to propose to her before Steve was legal and stole her away from him.  
  
  
  
# birthday  
  
"All right, Punk.  You knew this day was coming," James said, sprawling across the couch across from his baby brother.  Natalia and Tony walked in before Steve had a chance to respond and James smirked at Steve's panicked expression.  
  
"I swear I didn't do it - " Steve said after everyone was sitting down.  
  
"What didn't you do, Stevie?" Natalia asked with a straight face.  
  
Steve's blue eyes scanned her suspiciously.  "You're conning me.  What's this meeting about?  I mean, weren't we going to lunch anyway?"  
  
"You know what this is about, Brat," Natalia said fondly.  "Your birthday."  
  
Steve winced.  James had never figured out how a kid could hate birthdays so much.  
  
"Oh my God, you guys give me stuff all the time, can I ask for a moratorium on birthdays for my birthday?" Steve sighed.  
  
"Not unless you tell us why you're so weird about birthdays.  We've gone along with your distaste all these years but you're sixteen and you owe us an explanation," Natalia said.  
  
Steve sighed heavily.  "I was a week old before anyone I was related to even touched me.  I read the files.  I know Howard and Genevieve didn't want me, she wouldn't have had me at all if she hadn't found out too late to get a legal abortion."  
  
" _Stevie_ ," Tony whispered.  
  
Steve waved him off.  "The thing is, they didn't want me.  You guys didn't either - but you stayed, you didn't give me up and you - we're family.  My birthday doesn't matter because my life didn't start until you guys saved me.  I don't need to celebrate my birthday because I have my brothers and sister every day.  I don't see why it's such a big deal."  
  
"Who the fuck would show you that kind of stuff?" James demanded.  
  
Tony gave him a warning look.  "Steve.  No matter how Howard and Genevieve felt about you, the day you were born turned out to be the best day of our lives so far."  
  
"And I've always let you celebrate it even if I don't," Steve replied.  
  
James huffed.  "You're a punk.  It's your birthday and you should own it."  
  
Steve relaxed slightly and rolled his eyes.  "Fine.  I want a motorcycle, a Harley, not one of those crotch-rockets, but an old school one I can be proud of."  He turned to Natalia.  "I want to spend the summer in Paris and Venice and Amsterdam, anywhere I can go on the train."  Steve leaned in for Tony.  James and Natalia had long ago come to terms with the close connection between Steve and Tony.  Steve loved them all, but Tony was his touchstone.  
  
"I want the scholarship and the studio," Steve said.  
  
Tony's face lit up.  "Yeah?"  
  
Steve smiled, flushing slightly.  "Yeah."  He looked to James and Natalia.  "I can graduate early if I take correspondence classes.  I got into art school, the one I wanted and Tony's going to give me an apartment and an art studio of my own so I won't have to live on campus and I can have my own place."  
  
"You're just trying to distract us from the Harley request," Natalia said.  
  
Steve winked at her.  "Paris, though?"  
  
"You're a brat," she sighed.  
  
Steve beamed at them.  
  
"Hey, we're getting off easily, I thought he was going to ask for a Rodin, those things cost millions," Tony said.  
  
"That's for my 21st if you keep making me have birthday parties," Steve replied.  
  
"So, what if we started celebrating on the day we got you instead of your birthday?" James offered.  He was still going to find out who showed him the files about his birth parents.  
  
Steve considered it.  "That would be cool.  Yeah."  
  
Natalia rolled her eyes.  "We always have your party on that day."  
  
Steve nodded.  "Yep.  I'm spoiled, you always let me pick the day for the party.  Sif wants to help with the planning this year, so you might get emails from her."  He lowered his voice.  "A few of our friends went to rehab this year so we have to make sure it's a drug and drink free zone.  The paps always tend to turn up and PR is serious business."  
  
"All of your parties have been drug and drink free," James said.  
  
Steve rolled his eyes.  "I don't do those things, but some of my friends do.  It's just more important this year that nobody gets caught."  
  
James remembered the headlines from Johnny Storm, heir to the Storm fortune, and one of Steve's closest friends.  The kid had gotten busted three times in a single week for drunk and disorderly.  The media loved public breakdowns and were still monitoring the Storms closely.  
  
"Sue said Johnny was doing better," Tony said.  At least James wasn't the only one that made the connection but Tony knew Sue Storm personally.  
  
"He is, he's so much better now that he sees his shrink twice a week.  But it's a party and everyone expects him to party.  Barry's getting calls about track scholarships and he has to be on good behavior..."  
  
"Hey.  This is your party, kiddo, don't plan it around your friends' issues," James said.  
  
"I want my friends around at my party.  I want everyone to be happy and safe at least one day out of the year," Steve said.  "And I already asked for my treats."  
  
"We'll table the Harley and the party plans for now, but Paris and the apartments are approved," Tony said.  
  
  
  
# emergency contact  
  
_"Pepper?  Um, don't freak out but I sent a car over to the office for you.  Tony, they think he had a heart attack.  Mild - like, they keep telling me it was mild and that he'll get over it - but I need someone here that's not freaked out because I'm completely freaked out."_  
  
She dropped the tablet and her assistant glanced up sharply.  "Say that again.  What happened?"  Why hadn't she been called first, she was his wife.  
  
_"We were going to walk the dog and he started complaining about his arm, and he never complains about shit so I knew something was wrong.  The only way I could get him to let me bring him to the hospital was if I didn't call you.  But he's in with the doctors and he's being a stubborn brat right now and that's my job - but the docs say - can you just come?  I don't have all his medical details and the only emergency numbers in his phone are for his lawyers."_  
  
"I'm on my way, honey, what else can you tell me?" she asked.  
  
_"Happy was with us, his Dad died of a heart attack so he helped me convince him to come to the doctor, I threw my name around and got him in without having to go to the ER but Tony's really pissed off.  He kicked me out of the room.  Happy's got the dog, I sent him straight to you after he dropped us off,"_ Steve said in a shaky voice, but slightly less panicked.  _"He's okay, I mean, he's okay enough to yell at me and the docs so he has to be okay, right?"_  
  
"Don't let him get to you, Steve," Pepper said, spotting the car and climbing in before Happy brought it to a complete stop.  Darla, the hyperactive miniature greyhound immediately climbed into her lap and tried to lick the phone.  "You know he only gets snarly when he's scared and if he's snarling at you - "  
  
_"If he's that scared then shouldn't I be worried?  Fuck, I've got to go make nice with the head of the hospital, I have to put on my business face so Tony doesn't yell at them.  We're on the cardiac floor, six, I think?"_  
  
"I'll be there, you're doing great - don't freak out," Pepper said.  
  
Happy turned to her at the first stoplight.  "He's freaking out and that freaked Tony out and they argued.  Loud.  I don't think I've heard Steve yell that loud since he was a toddler."  
  
"Honestly, is he all right?" Pepper asked.  
  
Happy reached over and squeezed her hand.  "He's going to be fine.  He didn't keel over or anything, I didn't notice anything was wrong but Steve knew something was off.  He stopped some random guy for aspirin."  
  
Pepper shuddered.  "I'm so glad he was there, both of you..."  Darla licked her face.  "And the dog."  
  
"Good dog.  I'm coming in with you, Tod is going to drive the pup back until Tony's cleared to go," Happy said as she saw the first sign for the hospital exit.  
  
She didn't process much of anything else until she saw Steve talking to a group of men in business suits.  He was completely composed at first glance until she saw the muted panic in his eyes.  He excused himself and she didn't know which of them went into the hug first.  
  
"Where is he?" she whispered, squeezing him tightly.  
  
"They're finishing up his lecture but I made sure they waited for you to go over his medicine and treatment stuff.  He's still mad at me," Steve murmured.  "But that's okay as long as he lets you listen."  
  
She pulled back and took the kid's face in her hands.  "He's not mad at you but we can be mad at him together.  You're family and you probably saved his life today, you need to hear the details, too.  He's never been able to stay mad at you, Brat."  
  
Steve relaxed a tick and smiled.  "Thanks.  I want to hear."  
  
  
  
# time-out  
  
"I made an executive decision and Ny-Quil'ed the bastard," Johnny said when Natalia used her key to get into Steve's apartment.  
  
She saw Steve snoring open-mouthed on the couch with a game controller lax between his fingers.  "I thought Tony was fine, he sounded fine on the phone."  
  
"He's grumpy as hell and Steve's hovering just makes him grumpier," Johnny replied.  "You know how clingy Steve gets when one of you guys are in trouble.  He followed you around three weeks when you sprained your ankle."  
  
She conceded his point.  
  
"They started arguing and then Pepper got into it and Barry and I thought it was going to turn into a domestic so we dragged him back here.  I sent Barry out for Thai and drugged him.  And I'm not sorry," Johnny said, squaring his shoulders.  
  
"Ny-Quil.  Well, he's not allergic and it's legal enough, but I'm not sure I approve," she replied.  
  
Johnny moved a couple of pillows so he had somewhere to actually sit and let out a soft sigh.  "I've never seen him scared, not like that.  I mean, I was wrecked when my folks died; but he's never lost anyone that close.  His real parents died before he was born and you guys are everything to him.  Steve's not scared of anything, but he's terrified of something happening to any of you."  
  
Barry stepped into the room with two bulging bags of take-out and Darla tugging on the leash wrapped around his hand.  He immediately narrowed his eyes at Johnny.  "You Ny-Quil'ed him, didn't you?"  
  
Natalia kissed Barry on the cheek and left them to bicker and started the short elevator ride to Tony's penthouse.  
  
  
  
# reciprocity  
  
 "Come here, Brat," Tony sighed, tugging the Steve into his arms and squeezing him tightly.  "God, I'm sorry for yelling."  
   
"Me, too.  You're an asshole sometimes."  
   
"I'm always an asshole, Stevie.  Thank you.  Sometimes..."  
   
"Sometimes you need someone to call you on your shit, yeah.  I've heard that before."  James could barely hear Steve's muffled voice when he continued.  " _Please_ , you have to take care of yourself.  I can't lose you, okay?  I _can't._ Don't make me."  
   
Tony held him closer and kissed his forehead.  "I hate that I scared you, I'm sorry.  I'm going to be a bitch for a while.  I have to give up caffeine and that's legitimately the worst thing I can think of ever happening to me."  
   
James realized that Steve was crying.  He hadn't seen Steve cry in years and his stomach twisted.  
   
"I'll behave, I swear, Stevie.  Don't cry, come on," Tony whispered, smoothing his hand through his hair.  "I'm okay."  
  
Steve pulled away and swiped at his cheeks.  "You guys used to hassle me all day every day about carrying my inhaler and getting my allergy shots - don't be a hypocrite now.  You have to take your meds and start taking care of yourself."  
  
"Kid's right.  Some people actually like having you around," James added, earning matching glares from both of them.  
  
Tony sighed.  "Scout's honor.  I've already promised Pepper I would follow the doctors' instructions.  The board's probably going to try and take me out when they hear about it."  
  
Steve avoided their eyes.  "Um.  I, maybe, already talked to Pepper about that.  She's been keeping me up to date on the business since there are all kinds of things in your will that you didn't tell me about yourself.  She's been teaching me about stocks and negotiating since I was twelve."  
  
"What?" James and Tony asked together.  
  
"Where did you think she took me when she was on babysitting duty?  Tony goes to the workshop, Bucky goes to movie sets, Nata goes to the runway and Pepper goes to the office.  I'm still confused as to why you outsource to Star Labs when they have such a shady reputation, but other than that, I'm on top of the boring SI stuff," Steve said.  "So you take your mandatory time off from the office and mandatory three days off from the workshop and maybe we'll let up on the lectures."  
  
"I didn't know you were interested in taking over SI," James said carefully.  Stark Industries was a tender spot for the Stark boys.  He knew, now, how much Tony resented Howard for SI despite the insane payoffs.  
  
Steve shrugged.  "I'm not.  But if Tony's dropping it in my lap when he retires, I'm not going to fuck it up," he said to James before turning to Tony.  "You worked your ass off to get SI to where it is now.  Howard started the business but you made it what it is today, not him.  Besides, Pepper does the hard stuff anyway, you spend your time in R  & D.  If I have to deal with it - meaning years, _**decades** _ from now - then I'll just spend my time in the Graphic Design department while someone smoother than me, like Oliver, handles the boring stuff.  We're going to have the coolest ad campaigns ever."  
  
"Who's Oliver?" James asked after he'd digested the rest.  
  
"His newest paramour, prissy little - " Tony muttered absently until Steve frowned sharply at him.  
  
"What about Sif?  How do I not know about Oliver?" James asked.  He should know who his brother is dating.  
  
"We're still friends, but she's living in London and scheduling is hard.  And Oliver has these _abs_ ," Steve said, his eyes going distant a moment.  "It's a new development."  
  
"How new?" James countered.  
  
"My relationship status is not the most important topic right now," Steve rolled his eyes.  "Besides, Nata likes him."  
  
James was going to have a talk with her about that when she got back.  
  
"And he's not 'prissy', he's just a spoiled rich kid like me that wears it better," Steve replied.  "His parents are really serious about their reputation and in his world, you're a future business deal so he has to impress you."  
  
Steve's relationship status was a much steadier topic considering how Tony and Steve visibly relaxed with the topic change.  Girlfriend, and apparently now boyfriend, lectures were a consistent icebreaker for them.  
  
Family never meant a lot to him growing up, but now - it meant everything.  And that was okay.

 


End file.
